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I consider myself to be a fairly frugal guy. But some people, Rachel Cruz, have accused me of being bougie, probably because I paid way too much for my fragile, high maintenance French bulldogs. And I see my barber more than I see my own family. But in reality, I'm somewhere in the middle, the perfect blend of indulgence and practicality. So I'm coining a new phrase, bougie frugal definition, seeking out ways to enjoy upscale or luxurious experiences while staying costly, conscious, and sticking to a budget. So in today's video, I'm sharing 12 of my favorite bougie frugal purchases to help you live large without breaking the bank. But before we jump in, hit those like and subscribe buttons and share this with your friend Ryan, who has a fake Louis Vuitton wallet because he has caviar taste. But a tuna fish budget? It's not a thing. Ryan, tin fish is tin fish. Okay? And have you looked up what's in caviar? It's roe. Have you looked up what roe is? Put the definition in the comments. I'm not going to say it out loud. It's that disgusting. Okay. Number one on the list of bougie frugal items is high quality bed sheets. Now, the price for this can vary. You can spend 100 bucks for a good set. You could spend 300 bucks for a good set. I'm gonna go somewhere in the middle. Think about it. You spend a lot of time on these sheets. Eight hours a night if you're doing it right. And the cost is gonna depend on the material. So nice sheets can be expensive, but to me, they're totally worth it because durable and comfortable sheets can help improve your sleep quality. And they'll probably last longer than cheap alternatives. So to me, the extra cost is worth it. If you want to know the ones I personally use, it's cozy Earth's bamboo sheets. And again, I'll drop links to all these in the comments below if you want to go check it out. Okay, next up, smart bulbs and smart plugs. The price of this can range about 5 to 10 bucks per bulb. For plugs, it might be 5, 10, maybe even 15 per plug. But here's the thing. They save energy, which lowers your utility bill. And it makes my life so much more convenient because I don't have to get up to turn things on and off. Now, show me a product that lets me control my toaster from my phone and I'll show you my money. And if you're wondering which ones I use I tend to get them from Amazon or I wait for them to go on sale and at my local Costco. Again, I'll drop some links to my favorites in the description below. Next, Bougie Frugal item. A comfortable office chair. Price for this can range from 150 bucks all the way up to 500 bucks or even 1000 bucks for some high end brand like Herman Miller. And here's the deal. A high quality chair may seem expensive, but it can help your posture, reduce back pain and last for years. Which could end up saving you money on medical costs and replacement chairs. And if you work from home, this one's a no brainer. And if you work in an office, see if they'll upgrade your chair if it's not comfortable. Now I don't have that problem. Ramsey does not skimp on the lumbar support. Thanks HR you're welcome. Next up, an emergency kit for your car. These can be anywhere from 30 bucks to 100 bucks or even more depending on what's included. They usually have things like jumper cables, tools, first aid supplies, maybe even one of those silver Pop Tart wrapper space blankets they give to people who are cold and wet. And here's why these are so important. It's an affordable way to prepare for emergencies and potentially avoid paying a whole lot of money for roadside assistance. And here's your bonus for you. I got a portable tire inflator on Amazon that's an absolute game changer. I have one in each of our cars and it's helped me avoid needing to go find air from a gas station in the middle of nowhere to refill a tire. Next on the list, a cordless bagless vacuum. Your Dysons, your Sharks, even your Bissells. And these can range anywhere from, you know, 35 bucks for a Bissell featherweight, all the way up to 800 bucks for a top of the line Dyson V10 plus animal. Who knows what they call them these days. And so it's going to depend on the brand and how much it sucks. Not like suck sucks, but you know, sucks up. Highly recommend getting one, even if it's the budget friendly option. These are such an upgrade from the old dust bags your mom used to use in the 90s. And if you're wondering which ones the Camels have, I think it's the Dyson V8 Animal Plus. Don't quote me on that. Might be time for an upgrade. Next, Bougie Frugal purchase comfortable shoes that last. We're looking for high quality craftsmanship here. All right, go for brands like Misolo, Clarks, Allen, Edmonds, Allbirds, even New Balance. Comfortable and affordable. The price range on this will vary drastically. You can get a great pair of New balance shoes for 60 bucks. You can get some red Wing boots that will last you forever for 300 bucks. And here's the deal. Good quality shoes can be a little pricey. But if it keeps you from buying new shoes every other month, that can save you money in the long run. And it'll help your health because your feet won't be paying the price. Next up, an inversion table. The price will range from 100 bucks to 400 bucks, depending on the model. You can find basic models on the lower end, but the premium ones will have better padding and more features. If you deal with back pain and regularly see a chiropractor to physical therapy, this one time purchase can reduce those expenses. Yes, I know it looks like a torture device, but it's worth a shot. No pain, no gain, right? The next bougie frugal thing on the list, an air purifier. Again, these range drastically. 100 bucks all the way up to 600 bucks or more. And the cost will depend on the size of the room that you want to purificate. That's not a word. Continue. Also, features like HEPA filters and smart integration that could bring the cost up as well. And cleaner air might help you if you have allergies. And it means less sickness in your house, which could in turn cut back on healthcare costs. So it might seem like a luxury, but if it really keeps you healthier and you feel better, it's so worth it. And while we're talking about cleaning up the air, let's talk about how to clean up your digital footprint. You see, your personal info is out there on these shady data broker websites where it can be bought by spammers and scammers. So the way I protect myself is with Deleteme, one of the sponsors of today's video, Delete Me will go find and remove your info from hundreds of these data broker websites that make money by selling your personal info. And they'll send you a report showing you where they found and removed your data and how much time they've saved you. So help protect yourself from the risks of online scams and data breaches with Delete Me. Right now, you can get 20% off by going to joindeleteme.com george or click the link in the description below. And before we get back to the list, let's Talk about another thing that could be considered Bougie Frugal. And that's a phone plan from Tello, one of the sponsors of today's video. Tello has crazy affordable plans to get you the same reliable coverage and features as the big dogs, but with pricing as low as five bucks. And if you want to never worry about data limits, the unlimited everything plan is just 25 bucks a month. And here's the cool part. There's no contract. You can upgrade, downgrade whenever you want. You can bring your phone, keep your phone number and do this all from the comfort of your own home. That's exactly what I did. I used my own link to save five dollars and you can too. Go to tello.com george and you'll get an extra five bucks off your first month of the unlimited plan. Or click the link in the description below. Okay, next up on the Bougie Frugal list, a water filtration system. Bonus points if it's whole house. Now you can get a cheap under sink reverse osmosis system for 300 bucks. But my dream is the whole house filtration system. Every faucet, every shower, pure water coming straight out of that thing. That's amazing. And that's gonna cost you. This can range anywhere from 1000 bucks upwards of 4 to $5000, which includes installation. And the filters with better filtration will be on the higher end. So you can go for the budget friendly version for now, but eventually upgrade if you want to really live like no one else. And if you're spending a ton of money on bottled water every month, this could end up saving you money in the very long run. Expensive, but worth it. It's also more eco friendly than buying a bunch of plastic water bottles. And for all of you whose entire personality is worrying about microplastics, this could help with that too. Next. Bougie Frugal. Purchase a bedjet. Now if you don't know what that is, I didn't either until I got one. And what this does is it basically pushes air at whatever temperature and speed you would like through a magical sheet to keep your bed at the ideal temperature. Now I got the Mini, which is about 350 bucks. But you can go for the big dog. You can get two for each spouse. Whatever you want to do, that's your business. But here's the deal. It really helps with sleep and it's totally worth the price. There's more expensive options out there. You may have heard of eight Sleep, which uses water that runs through this magic layer on the mattress. Eventually I'd like to try that out, but this is my bougie frugal life right now, so I'm sticking to my bedjet. Next up, a gym membership, if you're into that kind of thing. Now there's a huge range here in price. 10 bucks for your planet fitness or 200 bucks on an arm and a leg to go full CrossFit or as I like to call it, Wads with Friends. Now I'm not much of a bodybuilder if you can tell, but I do acknowledge that exercise is important and I included this one on the list because people who do it would say it is life changing and totally worth it. Even the CrossFitters. And those people would probably tell you a gym membership pays for itself in health and wellness benefits. They'd probably also tell you about their new PR for Murph. But I digress. Next on the list, a reliable used car. Now remember, this is bougie Frugal. So this is not your get out of debt beater car that you got for three grand off Facebook Marketplace. This could be a 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, even a $25,000 car. Now if you want some parameters around this, here it is. Make sure all the things with wheels and motors in your life don't add up to more than half of your annual income. So if your household income is 70 grand, make sure that no more than 35 grand is tied up with all of your trucks and toys and cars. And then lastly, pay cash and buy used until you're a net worth millionaire and you can stomach that hit on depreciation. And if you want to know more about how to buy a car the right way, I cover the exact process in my book Breaking Free from broke. Specifically page 110 starts the process and I go in depth on how to do this with cash, how to begin your research, where to go, how to negotiate, and how to pay cash. Go check it out. I'll drop a link in the description. And if you've got a dark curiosity about what I'm driving right now, it's a 2013 Tesla Model S that I bought in 2022. So currently it's a 12 year old vehicle approaching 200,000 miles. And it's the best bougie frugal purchase of my life. And if you've seen my segment millionaires in cars getting coffee, you know it's a sweet ride. Mike Rose been in that seat more than you can say. Hermosi sat in that seat. He drank protein in that chair, man. 40 grams. 0 grams. Yeah. Here's a fun bonus for you Pre shelled pistachios. Now, this price could range anywhere from $15 to $18 for a 111 half pound bag from Costco. But let me tell you why. This is Bougie Frugal. Life's too short to be cracking nuts. Although there is something satisfying about shelling pistachios. Kind of therapeutic, but I'm not losing a nail at this juncture. This stage of the game. Not worth the risk. So buying Pre shelled saves me time and effort. Especially if you have little kids and you're constantly having to do it for them. Which good on you if your kids are like, daddy, can I have another pistachio? You've done very well. Parenting game on point. Now, just to be clear, I'm all for saving money and I don't want you to pay more than you need to for basic everyday items. But there's a time and place for spending more. It's okay to spend a lot of money on something if it really matters to you, if it adds value to your life, as long as it's in the budget and and you pay cash. That's how you know you're making it with intentionality instead of impulse. And remember, being frugal is not about being a cheapskate. It's about being intentional with every dollar you make. And one of the best ways you can do that is by giving every dollar a job with a monthly zero based budget. It's permission to spend. That's where I put my fun money to make Bougie Frugal purchases. And the app that I use to budget and track my expenses is called EveryDollar. It's a free download and it's super easy to use. It does all the math for you. So if you want to check it out, click the link in the description or go to everydollar.com george and also in that description you'll find that I've done the research for you and I've dropped links to all of the Bougie Frugal items from the list that I own or would buy if I was in your shoes. So let me know in the comments if there's something that you would add to this list. And for more ways to be frugal, check out this video to see my 12 rules for frugal life. Or click the link in the description. Thanks for watching. We'll see you next time.